(SOP newswire2) Today, Ambassador Pablo Solon of the Plurinational State of Bolivia addressed reporters at the UN climate talks in Germany. Ambassador Solon outlined a clear plan, based on submissions from other countries and civil society, on how to move the talks forward in 2011.

“The key issue at these talks is the gap between how much climate pollution we need to reduce and how much countries are committed to reducing. We call that the “gap” and it`s the difference between 4C of warming and 2C of warming. The Cancun outcome sets us on a path to 4C.” Ambassador Solon Said.

“Some countries want to talk about the `rules` first, instead of this gap in commitment, but we know that rules will not reduce this gap. Fixing rules will simply prevent the gap from increasing, it won`t set about actually reducing emissions. The heart of the matter is the depth of pollution cuts.” Ambassador Solon said. Read the rest of this entry »

(Suzy Chaffee) Following Bolivia’s passage of their domestic law “Recognizing Mother Earth as a living entity and giving Her the Same Rights as Humans,” the United Nations held a dialogue via an interactive webcast on its “Harmony with Nature” Day, April 20, and it is now working on adopting these rights worldwide. Read the rest of this entry »

1. The capitalist model that prioritizes benefits for transnational corporations over
those of the people and respect for nature is driving us towards the destruction of our
planet. Transnational corporations are our common enemies, they are enemies of
humanity. Read the rest of this entry »

For those who can’t make it to Bolivia for the historic World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, the Consul General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Chicago invites you to participate in a dialogue with those at the conference live, via webcast!

When: Tuesday, April 20th, 6:00pm

What: 6:00pm: Live web cast interaction with delegates from the “People’s World Conference on Climate Change and The Rights of Mother Earth” to take place in Cochabamba, Bolivia from the 20th to the 22nd of April.
7:30 PM —- Showing of the Documentary “Freshwater Lands” 50 min, Spanish with English subtitle

Where: Casa Michoacan, 1638 S. Blue Island, Chicago, IL 60608

For more information contact: rixiobarrios.consulado@gmail.com or kennycontacto@gmail.com

To all JS-APMDD and RTRS Members and Friends
Call for Coordinated Activities and Actions On April 22 Earth Day
April 12, 2010

On April 19-22, 2010, over 15,000 people and up to 70 governments from all over the world will gather to attend the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Cochabamba, Bolivia. The event is in response to the failed COP15 in Copenhagen and aims to highlight the central role of peoples movements and social movements in the climate struggle and the critical alliance that must be forged between movements and progressive governments.

In solidarity with this global gathering and in celebration of Earth Day, JS APMDD and the Right to Essential Services and Natural Resources urge all its members and friends to organize actions on this day and use this occasion in raising our demands for climate justice and opposition to water and power privatization projects that exacerbate climate change.

Through these actions, we will put forward the following demands:
1. For North countries to give full reparations for the ecological debt and climate debt they owe to the South.
2. For North countries to undertake deep, drastic cuts of GHG emissions through domestic measures.
3. Southern nations to assert their right to develop and meet the needs of its people through a system that is ecologically sound, just, equitable and democratic.
4. End the policies, operations and projects of IFIs that exacerbate climate change, including water and power projects. Stop IFIs, especially the WB and regional development banks, from claiming major roles in addressing the climate crisis and using it to push more privatization projects.
5. For all governments to recognize and ensure peoples’ rights and access to sufficient, affordable, clean, quality water and adequate, reliable, affordable, safe, clean and sustainable power services and energy.
6. For all governments to recognize that the use of very critical ecological and environmental resources in water and power services necessitate that these services remain under the public domain and protected from intrusion by corporations.
7. Cancel all illegitimate debts claimed from the South as a matter of justice and as a major step towards enabling countries to deal with the economic and climate crises.

We will give prominence to the following calls:
SYSTEM CHANGE, NOT CLIMATE CHANGE!
STOP WATER AND POWER PROJECTS THAT EXACERBATE CLIMATE CHANGE!
REPARATIONS for CLIMATE DEBT!

Please share with us information on your plans and send us news and photos of your activities immediately after they have taken place so we can help circulate and disseminate them.

(April 13, 2010) The international peasant’s movement La Via Campesina will join the People’s Conference on Climate change and the Rights of mother earth organised by the Bolivian president Evo Morales in Cochabamba, Bolivia from April 19 to 22. More than 80 farmers representatives from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas will take part in this event in order to contribute to the building up of a new international front to combat climate change.

The proposals put forwards by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change show a complete lack of commitment by most governments, especially in industrialised countries, to really tackle the problem. The climate disaster will not be halted by the development of a new market for carbon and the invention of “rights to pollute”, by the expansion of genetically modified seeds designed to resist climate change, or by the development of industrial agrofuel plantations.

Only a radical change in production and consumption patterns will lead us to a more sustainable way of living. Via Campesina hopes that the Cochabamba gathering will draw the lines towards a resolute international policy towards climate justice.

The farmers movement is organising several side events, including a seminar on “Land, Territory and Climate change”, another on “Sustainable agriculture cools down the earth”. La Via Campesina is also actively involved in the working group 17 “Agriculture and Food sovereignty” set up by the conference organisers.